Not everyone can come from privilege. Some must be forged in the fires of adversity, forcefully hammered until their resolve is tempered into something sharper and more resilient than the finest blade of Damascus steel.

Kal Trask is one such individual.

Enlisting at the age of 18, he left behind a hard knock life, determined to make something of himself. Doggedly resilient, the Mustang officer has a reputation for being a skilled electrical and aerospace engineer, an assault squadron ECO who's held his own in some of the worst pre- and post-Warday combat zones, and a facetious jerkass whose heart of gold is usually stowed amongst his copious personal baggage.

He's also damn proud of his callsign and the inheritor of this guy's EPIC pr0n collection.

Background

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are very tiny compared to what lies within us."

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Biographical Information

Although once a key part of Tauron's military-industrial complex, the conurbation known as the Black Country never economically recovered from the planet's withdrawal from the Colonial Civil War. Many factors were to blame for the disinvestment, deindustrialization, and depopulation in the region, including unionization and its subsequent corruption, the outsourcing of manufacturing to non-union facilities, and major contracts going to off-world companies. Civil upheaval was rampant throughout the colony and, soon enough, the jobless were adding to the unrest.

It was into this realm of minimal opportunities that Kal Trask was born. By the time he turned 5, unemployment in his hometown of Flint was at an all-time high. Unfortunately, his father was one of many to comprise that statistic. As proud and stubborn as the Taurian stereotype, Kevon Trask did not take well to feeling useless. That his wife, Colette, became the sole breadwinner was further emasculating. Unable to adequately provide for his wife and son, he sought solace in alcohol and violently unleashed his anger and frustration.

Being just a child, young Kal was in no position to protect his mother from the rage of his father's resentment. In the aftermath of these inebriated assaults, the boy sought to repair whatever it was that had been destroyed. Objects proved far easier to mend than people, and he manifested a real knack for fixing things that lacked thoughts and emotions. There was something deeply satisfying, even comforting, about getting something broken to work. It was a refuge and a distraction from just how irreparably damaged his family was — and how helpless he felt — and it became a coping mechanism that never went away.

Things would briefly improve whenever Kevon managed to find work, only to get much worse whenever he lost his job. Finances grew even more strained with the arrival of a daughter, whom the man often cursed. What little food that could be afforded on Colette's sweatshop seamstress wages was indeed very little. With another mouth to feed, it became not enough. So great was her husband's wounded pride, however, government aid was not an option — a point he made painfully clear with his fists. In these lean times, the Trasks often went hungry. Yet, somehow, Kevon managed to never lack liquor.

Regardless of their youth, Kal and his sister were not spared the abuse. Whereas Alyse withdrew, he started to act out. As he grew older, he started to fight back. The rows between father and son were brutal and bloody, for the lad learned how to hold his own and was determined to be the last one standing. As long as he was the primary target of his father's wrath, his mother and sister had some reprieve, and he resolved to give them as much as possible.

Crewman Trask

There came a time, though, when he simply had to save himself. The moment Kal turned 18, he enlisted in the Colonial military. The decision caused no small amount of emotional turmoil; sending his wages back home did little to assuage his feelings of guilt over leaving behind his mother and sister.

Determined to make something of himself, the novice grunt signed away years of his life in exchange for the Navy funding his education. After seven grueling years of being a full-time engineering technician and a part-time student (including summer courses), Trask earned a degree in electrical engineering, as well as a reputation for excellent work. The trade-off was an utter lack of any semblance of a social life, although this single-minded dedication to self-improvement also is what kept him out of trouble while adjusting to less volatile living conditions. The young man simply lacked the time and energy to get into fights. All that aggression was sublimated into more constructive pursuits.

In search of more excitement, he made a lateral career move and transferred to the Deck department, where he came to specialize in avionic air engineering. For the next six years, he learned the insides and outsides of Vipers and Raptors, passed the exam to become a licensed Professional Engineer, and was up to be appointed Deck Chief of the Heavy Cruiser Ponos but instead decided that he was going to become an ECO.

It was a choice that confounded his colleagues.

Most candidates for OCS apply without needing an age-restriction waiver. Most candidates also are not Chief Petty Officers at the time of their application. In light of the responsibility of his last billet as an AE Lead, the review panel found merit in the reasons for postponement. That Trask also managed to earn a baccalaureate, all the while garnering outstanding performance reviews, left him little in the way of competition. Glowing letters of recommendation from his past and present supervisors — including Dominic Gabrieli — gave his application that final oomph for acceptance.

Fourteen weeks of rigorous training later, he was a shiny new Ensign at the age of 30.

Turning Up The Heat

With his vast experience working with Vipers and Raptors, a second age-restriction waiver was easily acquired, and Trask was accepted into the flight school at Colonial Fleet Base Athenos on Virgon. Between a natural aptitude and his background in electrical and aerospace engineering, he thoroughly excelled in the ECO pipeline and graduated at the top of his class within 18 months. Had he remained for 24 months, like most students do, he would've left a better pilot. Where he was going, it didn't matter.

Trask requested, and was granted, assignment to the Assaultstar Victory, which was not a prestigious station in the traditional sense. There was no competition for positions, no waiting list to land some coveted slot. Those who served there tended to fall under one of five categories: (1) those who pissed-off someone influential who was exacting revenge; (2) those seeking to rapidly advance their career; (3) hardcore adrenaline junkies; (4) zealous Colonial patriots; and (5) those with a death wish. To survive a combat tour there was to be a certified badass.

As a member of the VAQ-136 "Cavaliers" — the Victory's lead assault squadron — ceaseless forays into Sagittaron's hottest combat zones were a way of life, and there was no shortage of daily opportunities for Trask to utilize his talents for electronic warfare, blowing up stuff, on-the-fly repairs, and sardonicism. As a highly promising rook, he was paired with one of the more seasoned pilots: Captain Margaret "Jugs" Quinn.

It didn't take long for him to start giving her attitude. Shamelessly exploiting the Cavaliers' high burn-out and KIA rate, Trask got away with a lot more sass than he would've anywhere else simply because he was an asset in a squadron that constantly needed to replenish its ranks. Over time, he did grudgingly give Quinn credit for her tremendous piloting skills, although he never voiced that to anyone.

The turning point came during a particularly nasty skirmish involving insurgents in Xenos province. While in the throes of SAR, a nearby Raptor was destroyed by an AA-missile. Between the blast and high-velocity debris, their own ship was significantly damaged and an emergency landing was unavoidable. For 36 hours, Quinn and Trask were stranded behind enemy lines.

Nothing was ever the same after that. What transpired to bring about such a positive change in their relationship isn't something they've ever disclosed.

What was for certain was that there was no more bad blood between them. Indeed, they became fast friends, which delighted LTJG Evandreus "Bunny" Doe, who had been stuck in the middle of their past bickering, much to his dismay. From that moment onward, the three were more or less inseparable. So much so that when she was offered the position of Squadron Leader for the VAQ-141 "Harriers" aboard the Battlestar Cerberus, Quinn made it unmistakably clear that she and her boys were a package deal.

"We are face to face with our destiny and we must meet it with a high and resolute courage. For us is the life of action, of strenuous performance of duty; let us live in the harness, striving mightily; let us rather run the risk of wearing out than rusting out."

Assigned by Major Hahn to draft a proposal to examine his hypothesis that the radiation from the Areion's Gun might be able to suss out skinjobs if the Gun were to be fired at the Fleet; personally brought aboard resident neurologist and biomechantronics expert, Dr. Cameron Adair, to conduct a feasibility study — PROJECT TERMINATED ALONG WITH THE GUN

In light of the devastating Cylon rampage, and in consideration of his six years working as a snipe, Trask is cleared by the ChEng and the CAG to assist with electrical repairs during non-CAP hours.

22 May 2041 AE:

Quinn unofficially appoints Trask as the interim Squadron Leader of the Harriers.

22 Jun 2041 AE:

Promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and formally given 'interim' command of the Harriers.

06 Jul 2041 AE:

Forcibly sedated when he refused to let anyone other than LT Stavrian near Morgenfield's corpse. In light of extenuating circumstances, no charges were pressed against him. Went on to be the first person who postulated that Cylon skinjobs might be able to somehow wirelessly transmit their consciousness upon death, and that the radiation surrounding Auðumbla Anchorage appears to cause interference that prevents such a transmission.

Promoted to the rank of Captain and appointed commanding officer of the Harriers.

14 Mar 2042 AE:

Nominated LTJG Marko Scaurus for a Fleet Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service, accounting for all the various projects that Trask assigned over the span of a year. The importance of Marko's work to both the Air Wing and the Fleet were stressed. The upgrades to the Raider and Heavy Raider AIs and modules in the flight training programs — not to mention the coded from scratch virtual Heavy Raider simulation program — were particularly praised.

"This is awarded to you all for your actions during the rescue operation. At great risk to your own lives, you all fought valiantly to fend off wave after wave of a Cylon attack that led directly to the successful evacuation of personnel and civilians. Not only this, but such defenses were waged from tracked armored vehicles – something that I believe falls a little outside their professional training." — Major Clive Tillman in Full Colors

25 Jun 2041 AE: Leonis Campaign Medal

"In past services to this Navy and Corps, campaign medals were awarded to anyone who set foot on soil or passed near the combat zone. It meant nothing as far as specific service. The Leonis Campaign Medal requires that anyone who receive it have spent a minimum of forty-eight hours on the surface, be a member of the Colonial Fleet, and have carried a rifle through it. It is an honor that less than six tenths of a percent of this fleet will ever have." — Major Clive Tillman in Full Colors

04 May 2042 AE: Fleet Commendation Medal

"Command has issued decorations for the Harriers personnel involved in the holding of the line against the Evocati, your and Poppy's section in particular, as it was deemed vital to getting those boarding Raptors through. Captain Trask, for actions in combat on April the Fifteenth day of Twenty-Fourty-Two after Exodus, you are awarded the Fleet Commendation Medal." — Lt. Colonel Cidra Hahn in Of Treachery and Trinkets

I spoke with LTJG Trask earlier about his work on the Swallows and his involvement in the project. Due to the success and extremely successful application by your outstanding crews, I would like to place a Letter of Commendation in his file for his actions. If one is already planned, I would appreciate my signature being added to it.

Additionally, pass on my appreciation for the superb performance and bravery of your pilots and crews. Without them and their actions, the actions during the wargame would no-doubt have had a different result.

Regards,

Captain Clive TillmanTACCO and SOTW, BS-132

Quite a few, although (thus far) all off-the-record. Something about not always showing an appropriate amount of respect. Blah blah blah. Some people are so sensitive.

"Family quarrels are bitter things. They don't go according to any rules. They're not like aches or wounds; they're more like splits in the skin that won't heal because there's not enough material."

— F. Scott Fitzgerald

Immediate Family

Trask doesn't discuss his family. Ever.

Someone with access to his Military Personnel Records Jacket (MPRJ) would find mention of a younger sister named Alyse and that his parents, Kevon and Colette, were still married at the time of his enlistment. It is also documented that he has never been married, nor has he ever listed any known children or claimed dependents.

Apart from whatever information that is acquired during a standard Colonial military background check and periodic reviews, there are no further details.

Since late 2040 AE, Maggie "Jugs" Quinn has been his designated next of kin. On 25 Jan 2042 AE, any doubt that she is truly considered family was dispelled when she and her infant daughter, Kallistei, were added to the man's achyddiaeth as sister and niece, respectively.

Personal Profile

"Every stress leaves an indelible scar, and the organism pays for its survival after a stressful situation by becoming a little older."

— Dr. Hans Selye

Physical Characteristics

Several years past 30 in age and two inches shy of 6 feet tall, Kal Trask manifests the paradox of being both weathered and spry. A long history of arduous physical labor has forged his lithe form into a wiry athleticism that is diligently maintained. Particularly well-defined are his Ta Moko adorned arms and shoulders, and his strong hands show telltale signs of being a mechanic. Augmented by a short tousle of dark hair, there is a boyish appeal to him that contrasts the weary quality of over-torqued, Dakar Rally, desert-of-the-soul mileage. Assorted faded scars mark his naturally light tan skin, although his devil-may-care attitude belies the source of their origin. Even so, no amount of facetiousness can fully conceal the emotional turbulence that lingers beneath the surface of his large, expressive brown eyes.

Although they've mostly faded over the past few decades, Trask has no small amount of scars. A keen observer might notice them and be able to deduce the following:

A few mark his face, although none of them are particularly glaring. The shape and location of some suggest a history of blackened eyes.

Most of those on his shoulders and back are obscured by ornate tatau of the Taurian style known as Ta Moko. These scars date back some 20+ years and are typical of lashings and of beatings with the buckle-end of a belt.

On his hands and arms, he shows the standard wear and tear to be expected of a long-time mechanic. A few marks are consistent with defensive wounds, although those are largely obscured by Ta Moko. Those latter scars are as old as the ones on his shoulders and back.

11 Apr 2041: scars caused by light machine gunfire can be seen on his right shoulder.

08 May 2041: acquired light gash from left temple to hairline when cockpit was critically hit by Heavy Raider fire.

15 May 2041: mild facial cuts from when the ATV he was in exploded and flung him to the ground.

15 Apr 2042: severe Raptor damage caused by LTCOL Skiron "Duncecap" Baer resulted in moderate lacerations to the chest and left hand, as well as critical trauma to the abdominal area; the latter garnered a 3-inches long surgical scar.

Trask has numerous tattoos done in a traditional Taurian style called Ta Moko, which has some unique symbolism that is not found in other styles of tatau. To unknowing eyes, the designs simply seem decorative. In actuality, the placement of each curve, line, and shape has little to do with aesthetic. Further details on Taurian tatau can be read here.

Images will be forthcoming.

"A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials."

"Some people use their fists to abuse the people around them. You… you just use your mouth."

— Leyla in Blow Ups unwittingly points out that Trask is failing in not being anything like his father

"I don't want to. You'd happily let me swig your piss, or take a swig at all just so you can be mad at me again. I know that's easier for you, and after being all domestic for a few days where I actually relied on you, it's high time you have another break and let your disdain and distrust for mankind bubble up and ruin something you've got going for you other than work. Go ahead. Have at it, but I'm not going to give you the fodder."

— Sawyer's response to Trask in Have At It when he tells her take a sip to find out if he replaced all her booze with urine

Quirks

Facetious: Causticity is comforting. Sardonicism is safe. Flippancy is a fortress. None. Shall. Pass. It's not the healthiest defense mechanism, and it certainly can be hurtful for those who care about him, but Trask is firmly facetious when it comes to pretty much everything. Even being on the verge of death doesn't change this. It's not that he doesn't feel fear or pain; it's that he actively chooses to mock such, even in the most dire of situations, lest he revert to his ingrained response of reacting with aggression to upsetting stimuli. Anyone insisting that he cower or kowtow will be disappointed. If anything, he's bound to become even more irreverent. It's just how he copes.

Prejudiced Against the Privileged: Being someone who came from nothing and was told he'd never amount to anything because he was a nobody, Trask definitely holds no small amount of disdain for those who've had the way paved for them. He places a high value on merit and hard work, and he's of the firm opinion that people from privileged backgrounds tend to instead get ahead via nepotism and cronyism.

Resilient: The people of Tauron have a reputation for being stoic, hardy, and stubborn. Trask's capacity to shoulder hardship exceeds the stereotype. As a result of his abusive upbringing, he developed a dogged determination and an ability to endure physical, emotional, and psychological distress. Even if he gets knocked down, he'll get back up. In a way, doing so is a giant 'FRAK YOU' to everything attempting to grind him into the ground.

Teetotaler: In direct response to his father's violent alcoholism, Trask completely abstains from alcohol. Inebriation disgusts him, and he runs a risk of getting physically aggressive towards nasty drunks. If the person can hold their liquor, he can tolerate being around someone who's had a few drinks. Usually, he just absents himself.

Tropes

Although the Keirsey Temperament Sorter (KTS) and the Myers-Briggs Type Index (MBTI) are often considered to be interchangeable, there are a few significant differences that are well-explained in this comparison.

According to the KTS, Trask has a Rational temperament, and his role variant is the Mastermind, which corresponds primarily to the Myers-Briggs Type INTJ. Further information can be found here and here.

The Mastermind
Masterminds are introspective, pragmatic, directive, and reserved. They make for highly capable leaders due to their keen knack for contingency planning and entailment organizing. Despite their leadership capabilities, Masterminds prefer to stay in the background until others demonstrate ineffective leadership. However, once in a position of power, they are highly efficient and willing to adopt useful ideas.

Masterminds are strong willed, self-confident, and decisive. They are also highly theoretical and are the most open-minded of all the role variants. Before a Mastermind adopts a theoretical notion, they insist on researching all of the available data and checking the idea against reality. Masterminds are suspicious of theories based on poor research and will discard ideas that cannot be effectively implemented.

Masterminds are highly pragmatic and will put forth a lot of time and effort in order to implement effective ideas. They are driven to solve complex problems and to create organized, decided, and executed solutions. Masterminds tend to say positive statements instead of negative ones, preferring to focus on how to make the organization more efficient in the future rather than dwelling on past mistakes.

Portrait of the Mastermind
All Rationals are good at planning operations, but Masterminds are head and shoulders above all the rest in contingency planning. Complex operations involve many steps or stages, one following another in a necessary progression, and Masterminds are naturally able to grasp how each one leads to the next, and to prepare alternatives for difficulties that are likely to arise any step of the way. Trying to anticipate every contingency, Masterminds never set off on their current project without a Plan A firmly in mind, but they are always prepared to switch to Plan B or C or D if need be.

Masterminds are rare, comprising no more than, say, one percent of the population, and they are rarely encountered outside their office, factory, school, or laboratory. Although they are highly capable leaders, Masterminds are not at all eager to take command, preferring to stay in the background until others demonstrate their inability to lead. Once they take charge, however, they are thoroughgoing pragmatists. Masterminds are certain that efficiency is indispensable in a well-run organization, and if they encounter inefficiency — any waste of human and material resources — they are quick to realign operations and reassign personnel. Masterminds do not feel bound by established rules and procedures, and traditional authority does not impress them, nor do slogans or catchwords. Only ideas that make sense to them are adopted; those that don't, aren't, no matter who thought of them. Remember, their aim is always maximum efficiency.

In their careers, Masterminds usually rise to positions of responsibility, for they work long and hard and are dedicated in their pursuit of goals, sparing neither their own time and effort nor that of their colleagues and employees. Problem-solving is highly stimulating to Masterminds, who love responding to tangled systems that require careful sorting out. Ordinarily, they verbalize the positive and avoid comments of a negative nature; they are more interested in moving an organization forward than dwelling on mistakes of the past.

Masterminds tend to be much more definite and self-confident than other Rationals, having usually developed a very strong will. Decisions come easily to them; in fact, they can hardly rest until they have things settled and decided. Before they decide anything, however, they must do the research. Masterminds are highly theoretical, but they insist on looking at all available data before they embrace an idea, and they are suspicious of any statement that is based on shoddy research, or that is not checked against reality.

The INTJ
To outsiders, INTJs may appear to project an aura of definiteness and self-confidence. This self-confidence, sometimes mistaken for simple arrogance by the less decisive, is actually of a very specific nature. When it comes to their own areas of expertise — and INTJs can have several — they will be able to tell you almost immediately whether or not they can help you, and if so, how. INTJs know what they know and have no qualms about expressing that. Perhaps more importantly, they also are acutely aware of what they don't know, and they will readily admit when that is the case.

INTJs are analytical. They are most comfortable working alone and tend to be less sociable than other types. Nevertheless, INTJs are prepared to lead if no one else seems up to the task, or if they see a major weakness in the current leadership. They tend to be pragmatic, logical, and creative. They have a low tolerance for spin or rampant emotionalism. They do not recognize authority based on tradition, rank, or title.

Personal relationships, particularly romantic ones, can be the INTJ's Achilles heel. This happens in part because many INTJs do not readily grasp the social rituals. Perhaps the most fundamental problem, however, is that INTJs really want people to make sense.

Portrait of an INTJ
INTJs are known as the "Systems Builders" of the types, perhaps in part because they possess the unusual trait combination of imagination and reliability. Whatever system an INTJ happens to be working on, both perfectionism and disregard for authority may come into play, as INTJs can be unsparing of both themselves and the others on the project. Anyone considered to be "slacking," including superiors, will lose their respect — and will generally be made aware of this. INTJs have also been known to take it upon themselves to implement critical decisions without consulting their supervisors or co-workers. On the other hand, they do tend to be scrupulous and even-handed about recognizing the individual contributions that have gone into a project, and have a gift for seizing opportunities which others might not even notice.

INTJs are analytical problem-solvers, eager to improve systems and processes with their innovative ideas. INTJs have a talent for seeing possibilities for improvement, whether at work, at home, or in themselves.

INTJs have a hunger for knowledge and strive to constantly increase their competence; often INTJs are perfectionists with extremely high standards of performance for themselves and others. They tend to have a keen interest in self-improvement and are lifelong learners, always looking to add to their base of information and awareness.

INTJs live in a world of abstraction and theory, and may sometimes be absentminded in their preoccupation with concepts. Often intellectual, they enjoy analysis and complex problem-solving, and are much less comfortable with the illogical and unpredictable nature of other people and their emotions. They may not want to bother with people who they do not perceive to be their intellectual equals.

INTJs are perceptive about systems and strategy, and often understand the world as a chess board to be navigated. They want to understand how systems work, and how events proceed: the INTJ often has a unique ability to foresee logical outcomes. INTJs enjoy applying themselves to a project or idea in depth, and putting in concentrated effort to achieve their goals.

INTJ at Work
At work, the INTJ excels at creating and implementing innovative solutions to analytical problems. INTJs naturally see possibilities for improvement within complex systems and are organized and determined in implementing their ideas for change.

INTJs are comfortable with abstraction and theory but gain the most satisfaction from turning their ideas into reality. INTJs often enjoy working independently or with a small team (of competent, intelligent, and productive colleagues), taking measured, strategic steps to implement change.

INTJs enjoy working with logical systems that they can understand in depth. They enjoy the challenge of comprehending complex ideas, and want to understand how they can improve the way things work. The ideal job allows them to use their analytical skills to problem-solve in a challenging environment, and to take responsibility for implementing their ideas to create efficient, innovative systems.

INTJ Communication Style
INTJs are direct and detached in their communication. They often naturally see how something could be done better and usually communicate their criticism in a straightforward, logical manner. INTJs are typically independent and calm; they are not so much concerned about being liked or appreciated as they are with being competent and thoughtful. Their communications are typically well thought-out, insightful, and strategic. They often plan well into the future and offer big-picture analysis for improving systems.

INTJs as Partners
In relationships, the INTJ is loyal but independent. INTJs can be almost scientific in choosing a mate and make devoted partners once they have found a match that fits their rigorous list of requirements. They often have clear ideas about what makes for a solid relationship and are unwavering in their pursuit of this ideal.

INTJs often have a passion for self-improvement and are encouraging of their partners' goals and intellectual pursuits. However, they do not usually see the need for frivolous affection or romance, feeling that their devotion should be evident. INTJs are more focused on serving their partners with hard work and resourceful problem-solving than they are on showering them with attention.

INTJs' partners often find them difficult to read, and indeed they do not show emotion easily; INTJs find the process of discussing emotions much too messy and disorganized. They enjoy solving difficult problems, but are often out of their depth when it comes to illogical, unpredictable personal issues.

INTJs value a partner that allows them the independence to achieve their goals, and one who appreciates their efficacy, insight, and ability to offer creative solutions to problems.

The Enneagram of Personality is mainly a diagnostic tool of one's emotional outlook on life and may help point out a person's underlying fixations. Each Enneagram personality type supposedly expresses a distinctive and habitual pattern of thinking and emotions, although the behavioral characteristics of the personality types are less distinctive.

Other Details

Ask Trask: Need an honest opinion about something? Trask will tell it like he sees it. He'll even put it in writing. Just don't expect any sugar coating.

Black Country Boy: Trask was born and raised in one of the crappiest neighborhoods in the crappiest city of one of the crappiest regions of all the Twelve Colonies: the Black Country. Despite refusing to refrain from making caustic comments about his home region, he has a sense of pride about being from such a crappy place.

EPIC Pr0n Collection: Once upon a time, LT Marvin "Prince" Albert amassed what may well be the largest collection of pornography in the history of the Colonial military. When he died on Warday, he bequeathed his titillating treasures to Trask. This news has spread throughout Cerberus like an unchecked STD. Anyone in search of smut can speak with him about bartering for certain items.

Knuckledragger: A former AE(A) Lead and second-in-command, Trask really knows his way around the deck. Knuckledraggers aboard the Cerberus would be aware that he's authorized to work on Vipers and Raptors, although he tends to favor the latter. It's rare that he's not pitching-in during his off-duty time.

Licensed Engineer: Have an interest in aerospace and/or electrical engineering? Guess who's a licensed engineer in those fields. Want some personal electronics built? Trask can do that, too, provided he has the time, the necessary materials, and the actual interest.

Mr. Fix-It: Since childhood, Trask has been repairing objects of all kinds. This actually is a long-standing, deep-seated coping mechanism to help him deal with feelings of helplessness and to assert a sense of control. Needless to say, he is extremely skilled at fixing stuff. It is not uncommon to find him tinkering with items, and he's often willing to repair things for others.

Mustang: No, not the car. Trask started as one of the enlisted and worked his way up to the rank of Chief Petty Officer before he entered OCS.

Plz Feed the Troll: In the mood to have your chops busted? Feel free to feed the troll that is Trask. He's blithely irreverent and will unhesitatingly "go there".

Trask is left-handed.

Kal is his full first name.

Even though he loves both cigarettes and minty things, he considers menthol cigarettes to be an abomination.

Possesses an astounding ability to go cold turkey.

When not pressed for time, he likes to hand-roll his own smokes.

His favorite tobacco is one that only grows in the Allegheny province of southern Aerilon. He packed a frakton of it.

He also packed a frakton of miso soup packets and quality mints.

Steadfastly believes that Deck coffee is the best coffee. Must be black.

Marvin "Prince" Albert bequeathed him what might well be the largest pornography collection in the history of the Colonial military.

Trevor Cairn "Queenie" McQueen sent him a photograph to add to aforementioned collection. It involves two naked, long-haired model Elevens and a model One who's wearing nothing more than a cowboy hat and a pair of cowboy boots. CIC confiscated the original but Trask has a copy. He also has plans for it.

As per Trask's request, Khloe reviewed McQueen's flight footage from Audumbla and comes to report her findings. In the end, far more is revealed than either was anticipating when a hypothetical question garners a hypocritical answer.

Sawyer and Trask trade info about The Gun, its potential to detect skinjobs, and all the repercussions of such technology. They also discuss the seeming sentience of Raiders and Centurions, as well as the possibility that skinjobs are uploading the consciousnesses of human prisoners into killer robots. Afterwards, the jerkass photocopies his ass.

'Having coffee' is a euphemism for making out like two teenagers after prom, which is a euphemism for frakking in a fancy hotel room. There is no fancy hotel room. There also is no frakking, no making out, and no coffee had.

Cidra and Trask discuss several things, including: mine sweeping, stealth approaches, the mystery ship that may be from Kobol, unclear motivations, and the nature of trust and respect. Then Marko swings by with further fuel for conversation.

Battlestar Cerberus launches a daring assault on a Cylon research base in high orbit above Sagittaron, which — if successful — may cripple the toasters' activities in the Cyrannus System. This comprises the Air Wing and CIC portion of the show.

Dear god, hope you got the letter and…
I pray you can make it better down here
I don't mean a big reduction in the price of beer
But all the people that you made in your image
See them starving on their feet
'Cause they don't get enough to eat from god

I can't believe in you

Dear god, sorry to disturb you but…
I feel that I should be heard loud and clear
We all need a big reduction in amount of tears
And all the people that you made in your image
See them fighting in the street
'Cause they can't make opinions meet about god

I can't believe in you

Did you make disease and the diamond blue?
Did you make mankind after we made you?
And the devil, too

Dear god don't know if you noticed but…
Your name is on a lot of quotes in this book
And us crazy humans wrote it, you should take a look
And all the people that you made in your image
Still believing that junk is true
Well, I know it ain't, and so do you

Dear god…
I can't believe in
I don't believe in

I won't believe in heaven or hell
No saints, no sinners, no devil as well
No pearly gates, no thorny crown
You're always letting us humans down
The wars you bring, the babes you drown
Those lost at sea and never found
And it's the same the whole world 'round
The hurt I see helps to compound
That father, son and holy ghost
Is just somebody's unholy hoax
And if you're up there you'll perceive
That my heart's here upon my sleeve
If there's one thing I don't believe in

I had a dream last night
I dreamt that I was swimming
And the stars up above
Directionless and drifting
Somewhere in the dark
Were the sirens and the thunder
And around me as I swam
The drifters who'd gone under

Time, love
It's only a change of time

I had a dream last night
And rusting far below me
Battered hulls and broken hardships
Leviathan and Lonely
I was thirsty, so I drank
And though it was salt water
There was something 'bout the way
It tasted so familiar

Time, love
It's only a change of time

The black clouds I'm hanging
This anchor I'm dragging
The sails of memory rip open in silence
We cut through the lowlands
All hands through the saltlands
The white caps of memory
Confusing and violent

I had a dream last night
And when I opened my eyes
Your shoulder blade, your spine
Were shorelines in the moon light
New worlds for the weary
New lands for the living
I could make it if I tried
I closed my eyes, I kept on swimming

The cactus where your heart should be
Has lovely little flowers
So, though it's always pricking me
My ardor never sours
The cactus where your heart once was
Has power to rend and flay
I stick because… I'm stuck because…
I just can't tear myself away